Furnace-flue-closing device



'- WITNESS A. C. LUEDKE. FURNACE FLUE CLOSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED mm. 1919.

1,314,475. Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

IN VEN TOR.

, A T T ORNE Y5 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR G. LUEDKE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

FURNACE-FLUE-CLOSING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

Application filed April 8, 1919. Serial No. 288,629.

1 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR G. Lonoxn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented cer- 'tain new and useful Improvements in Furnace-Flue-Closing Devices; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in means for controlling the flow of gases through the smoke flue of a furnace, and is more particularly directed to the provision of a device for preventing undesired flow of air in the flue.

In the summer months, when the heating furnace of a residence is not used, the flue pipes are subjected to a rusting action induced by moisture contained in air which finds its way into the flues, it being appreciated that various conditions would set up currents of air in the chimney flue to deposit this moisture.

It is therefore primarily the object of my invention to provide a device which is operative to completely shut off flow of air from the chimney to the furnace flue and which may be readily manipulated so as not to interfere with free passage of the flue gases when the furnace is in use.

7 A more detailed object resides in the provision of an arrangement for procuring a positive seal of the flue.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more particularly described and defined by the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a flue closing device constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional View through the device.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 5 designates the wall of a chimney, which is provided with the usual flue opening 6, the furnace flue pipe 7 extending in juxtaposition to this opening.

My improved damper closing device comprises a valve casing or box 8 interposed between the chimney and the flue 7, said box bein formed of sheet metal 8 bent to form a su stantially U-shaped cross section, one

end of the box being connected with a tapered portion 9 terminating in a cylindrical extension 10 for engagement in the chimney opening 6. The securement of the tapered portion 9 to the box is effected by a wall flange 11 which has its sides and bottom edge portions bent outwardly and then backwardly at 12 for interlocking engagement with the inturned corresponding edge portions 13 of the box. A flat end wall 14 is secured to the other end of the box by out-turned side and bottom edge flange portions 15 engaged in inturned edge portions 16 of the box. The end wall is provided with a circular opening approximating in size the diameter of the flue 7, and a cylindrical section 17 is secured to the end wall 14 about this opening, the end of the section 17 being out-turned to form an annular flange 18 engaging against the wall and a fastening ring 19 is secured within the inner end portion of the cylindrical section 17 and has its inner side projected through the opening of the end plate and outwardly turned to provide a flange 20 engaging the inner surface of the end wall, thus securing the cylindrical section 17 in place, and this flange 20 also forms a valve seat as will be later explained. The cylindrical section 17 is telescopingly engageable in the flue pipe 7. The bottom or bight of the box is provided with a cleanout opening, and the material bounding the longitudinal edges of the opening is bent outwardly and then backwardly to form a pair of channels 21 adapted to be slidably interlocked with the inturned edge portions 22 of a closure plate 23, said side edge portions of the closure plate being outwardly oflset prior to their bending for interlocking engagement with the channels, whereby the ends of the closure plate are disposed in contact with the bottom of the body sheet. Means is thus provided for detachably mounting the closure plate 23 without the use of latches or similar closing means. The top of the box is closed by a cover sheet 24 having its ends downturned to embrace the end wall 14 and wall flange 11 of the box. The side edge pOrtions of the cover sheet are bent downwardl and then outwardly to fit against correspond ing upper edge portions 25 of the box, said portions 25 being bent backwardly on the outer face of the box and then outwardly and being connected by bolts 26 with the cover edges. An effective seal for the top I annular valve seat formed by the flange of the-securing ring 19. To efl'ect a further; seal in closing position of the valveplate,

of the box is thus procured. The end 01 tion of the cover sheet remote from. the

portions of the box and cover flanges. Thisvalve plate is adapted to engage against the said valve plate is provided with an annular seating flange 30 adapted to surround ,the

first named seatin'spaced' relation thereto,

and to contact with theend wall 1% of the box, the contacting portion of the said end wall thus forming a second seat for the valve, thus defining an annular dead air space between the engaging portions of the valve, which forms an efficient seal preventing the V possibility of a'ny flow of air when the valve is closed, it being appreciated that it is important to entirely shut off any flow of air whatever, since a slight leakage of air con: tinued over a comparatively long period of time would deposit suflicient moisture to cause a rusting action. The valve plate is positively held to closing position by a weight 31 carried on an arm 32 extending from one of the valve plate pintles 19.

l/Vhen the furnace 'is inuse,,the valve'o'f the plate is held in raised position by achainj 38 secured to the weight and trainedraboutj a pulley 34 suspended from the ceiling.

An exceedingly simple and efficientdevice has thus been provided for cutting off flow:

ofair in a furnace flue pipe, which may be most readily installed and manipulated. It

is noted that the length of the valveplate is substantially equal tothe length or the box whereby when the valve plate is raised it will snugly fit into the upper portion ofthe box and thus interfere in nomanner with the passage of gases in the flue. When the valve plate is released, the weight 31 provides a firm and compact pressure of the valve plate against its concentric seats, thus insuring an eflicient and positive seal for the flue pipe. It is further noted that the annular flange 30 which affords the outer seate ing member of the valve plate serves also 'to brace the valve plate whereby all of its portions are held in a singlevplane to insure} that, by the association of my device directlyv with the. chimney, ;a firm. support is afl'orded for the device",;and at, the same time the entire length of the flue; pipe is shutofl': fromrusting action;

While I have "shown and'described a pref ferred' embodiment of my invention,; it will be appreciated that, Wariouschanges and modifications of structuremay be employed to meet different conditionso f manufacture and use without departing in any manner 7 from the spirit of my invention What is claimed is A furnace flue closing device including a valve box having; a flat end wall: provided tion to hold the flangein engagement with' theendwall o-f the valve box, a valve jplate pivoted in the boxand"adapted"to engage i i against saidsea't, and an annular flange on the valve plate adapted" to engage the-said end wall of the box in spaced concentri'c 'rel'ati-on to the first mentioned seat forming In testimony that I claim the 'foregoiiigl have hereunto set my handat lvlilwaukfee, in

the county of Milwaukee and State of YVis-- consin.

, ART HuR LUEDKE;

Copies of this patent may be obtained fo r five cents eachpbydaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,- I Washington, D. 0 a 

